Identification cards are commonly used as a vehicle for identifying the bearer of the card (e.g., driver's licenses) for access control, and other purposes. These identification cards are produced using identification card manufacturing systems.
Identification card manufacturing systems generally include an identification card printer and laminator, such as the HDP and DTC line of identification card printers and laminators produced by Fargo Electronics, Inc. of Eden Prairie, Minn. Other card processing devices that can be utilized in identification card manufacturing systems include, for example, a card flipper and a data encoder. These devices are generally operated under the control of host applications running on a computer.
Identification card printers are configured to handle and print on rigid or semi-rigid card substrates, a function traditional paper sheet feed printers are incapable of performing. Identification card printers generally include a card supply, a card transport mechanism, a printhead, and a controller for controlling the components in response to print job instructions received from the host application. The card supply contains a stack of identification cards that are individually delivered to the printhead by the card transport mechanism. The printhead prints an image to a surface of the card in accordance with the print job.
Identification card laminators are generally configured to apply an overlaminate material to printed surfaces of cards. Such card laminators generally include a supply of overlaminate material, a card transport mechanism, and a laminating mechanism. The card transport mechanism is configured to transport individual cards between the laminating mechanism and a platen roller. The supply of overlaminate material extends between supply and take-up rolls and between the laminating mechanism and the card. The laminating mechanism includes a heating element, such as a heated roller, and applies pressure and heat to the overlaminate material, which causes a portion of the overlaminate material to transfer to the surface of the card. The transferred overlaminate material protects the surface of the card from the environment. Additionally, the overlaminate material can include security markings such as holograms, that can be used to authenticate the card and deter counterfeiting.
Some card laminators include swing arm assemblies, to which the heated roller of the laminating mechanism is mounted. The swing arm can be raised to an open position, and lowered to an operating position. This allows the user to gain access to the interior of the laminator so that a supply of overlaminate film can be installed or other items can be serviced. Additionally, the laminating roller is configured for movement between a laminating position, in which it is positioned proximate to the platen roller for laminating a card, and a recessed position, in which the laminating roller is displaced from the platen roller. A drive motor, usually mounted to a side wall of the frame of the laminator adjacent the swing frame, is configured to drive the laminating roller between the laminating and recessed positions through engagement with a drive mechanism that is mounted to the swing frame. The drive mechanism drives a cam, which in turn moves a laminating roller between the laminating and recessed positions. When the swing frame is open, the drive is disengaged from the motor. When the swing frame is closed, the drive is designed to reengage the motor to allow for the driving of the laminator between the laminating and recessed positions.
Unfortunately, the position of the drive mechanism upon reengagement with the motor can change from its previous position. Such a change can affect the position of the cam and, thus, the position of the laminating roller relative to the platen roller and a card that is to be laminated. This can result in inaccurate positioning of the laminating roller relative to the platen roller or card, which prevents the desired pressure and heat from being accurately applied to the overlaminate material and the card. As a result, laminating defects, card jams, and other laminator malfunctions can occur.
The present invention provides a solution to these and other problems and offers advantages over the prior art.